Dragon Ball ZDash! : Episode 1
by Stephen R Sobotka
Summary: A new twist to the Majin-Buu Saga. Read on!


DRAGON BALL Z-DASH  
  
by ssobotka33616@yahoo.com  
  
#  
  
DISCLAIMER : This is a fanfiction story based on characters and situations from the anime series "Dragon Ball Z" by Akira Toriyama. All characters are the TM and copyright of their origial author, and are only borrowed here for entertainment purposes. Please do not sue, since I do not write these stories for monetary gain.  
  
Some graphic violence may appear. Reader's discretion is advised...  
  
# # #  
  
DRAGON BALL Z-DASH!  
  
Episode 1 - "On the Verge of Buu's Dominion: Enter A Mysterious Fighter!"  
  
# # #  
  
PRELUDE:  
  
~ Earth... the planet is threatened by evil once again.  
  
Under the backdrop of this Year's Budokai Tournament, the evil wizard Babidi has concocted a plan to revive the creation of his father Bibidi - the horrible, powerful monster named Majin-Buu. Using trickery, Babidi collected energy from Gohan, Goku and Vegeta, he succeed in reviving the vile creature to begin a path of destruction and devastation.  
  
The Earth's Z-Fighters attempted to stop Majin-Buu, with aid from the Supreme Kai. However, one by one, the Z-Fighters proved to be no match for Majin-Buu's power and abilities. Not even the awesome power of Vegeta - who sacrificed his life to destroy Buu - was able to stop the pink titan.  
  
Forced into hiding, the remaining Z-Fighters struggle to form a plan to stop Buu. Needing the Dragon Balls, Goku runs interference for Trunks - who is headed for Capsule Corp. to get the Dragon Radar - by confronting Buu and Babidi.  
  
However... a new element is about to make its presence known...  
  
# # #  
  
~ In the Air, 40 miles east of West City... ~  
  
Soaring along, it would have looked ludicrous for any other purpose... had it not been the most vile thing to ever threaten the very existence of Earth itself!  
  
"As soon as we get to West City, we can begin by doing a little mayhem before Trunks arrives," piped the tiny, robed and wrinkled form of Babidi, perched on the capped shoulders of Majin-Buu. Chuckling, the olive-green alien snickered, squeezing his bulging eyes tight as he envisioned the carnage he and his minion would cause. "Perhaps we'll even locate his family, and get to torture them before his helpless eyes! Wouldn't that be fun, Majin-Buu?"  
  
With a smile spread over his bubble-gum pink face, the bloated monster just giggled. "Buu have big fun, fun, FUN!"  
  
"Yes, yes! You'll have lots of fun, destroying West City," Babidi agreed. "And when we've done that, we'll go after that little punk Goten, and the Namek too!" Laughing, Babidi pounded the back of one of Buu's shoulder's with enthusiasm. "Then we can go and seek the ultimate revenge for my father... and this world will suffer like never before!"  
  
Babidi's ranting was brought up short, when something suddenly appeared directly in the middle of Buu's path!  
  
"Waa!" Buu exclaimed, hitting the brakes with such force, he nearly sent his master flying off of his shoulders. Coming to a halt, the jelly-like creature floated in mid-air, blinking at the sight of a tall, powerful figure in blue and orange hovering there...  
  
Behind him, Babidi was scrambling to right himself, as the force of their sudden stop had flipped his robes over his head, blinding him. "Ack! Buu! What the-?! Why did you have to stop like that???"  
  
Buu simply cooed, "You fight Buu?"  
  
"Fight-?" Babidi finally got his robes off his head, blinking as he looked straight ahead. "Who are you... talking... to?" His voice trailed off, taking the sight of the young man with dark, spiky hair floating in front of them.  
  
"Hi... you must be Babidi." With a grim smile, Goku crossed his arms and glared at the wizard and his fat minion. "And that's Majin-Buu... I'm here to stop you."  
  
# # #  
  
~ Kami's Lookout ~  
  
Standing in the middle of the grand plaza of the Guardian's home, the gathered Z-Fighters waited for the return of Trunks and Goku. No one was in much of a mood for talking: Krillin sat with his wife, Android-18, and their daughter; Chi-chi stood near Videl, while the Ox-King tried to comfort her...  
  
Bulma, Yamcha and Puar made a small group to the side, while Master Roshi and Oolong stood apart on the palace steps, looking to where the current Guardian of the Earth, Dende, stood a vigil with Mr. Popo and Piccolo. The last person in this motley group, Goku's youngest son Goten, sat with a frown on the plaza tiles.  
  
"I wish I knew what was going on down there," Krillin sighed. "I mean, Goku just vanished, and we haven't heard from Trunks yet."  
  
"Goku said he was going to run interference for Trunks," Bulma said tersely. "I just hope he doesn't put my son in any danger!"  
  
"I wouldn't worry, Bulma," Master Roshi offered sagely. "Goku would never let anything happen to Trunks."  
  
"Master's right," Yamcha agreed. "I'll be Trunks is on his way back with the Dragon Radar, right this minute."  
  
Sighing, Bulma crossed her arms with motherly concern. "I know... it's just that we need that Radar to help stop Majin-Buu."  
  
"I'm just more worried about all the people down on Earth," Videl said with a frown creasing her brow. "My Dad is still down there!"  
  
"I'm sure he'll be fine, Videl," Chi-Chi said comfortingly. "With my Goku still with us, it won't be easy for this Buu to cause more chaos."  
  
"That's not entirely true," Dende said, looking away from his vigil with a worried expression. "This creature is insanely powerful... I don't think Goku alone can defeat it."  
  
"That's why we're hoping to use the Fusion technique and the Dragon Balls," Piccolo said gruffly. "Unless they can do the job..."  
  
"There may be nothing that can stop Majin-Buu," Dende finished.  
  
"Are you saying... that, even with all your power," Videl asked in shock, "that you don't believe you can beat this monster?"  
  
No one replied.  
  
"We cannot give up hope," Mr. Popo said gently. "As long as there are those that are willing to stand up and fight this evil, there is always hope."  
  
"Well, I'll believe it when I see it," groused Oolong.  
  
Just then, Piccolo, Krillin and all of the Z-Fighters that could sense power levels stiffened. "Good lord! D-do... you feel that?" Krillin gasped.  
  
Yamcha nodded, shaking slightly. "Y-yeah!"  
  
"Mommy?" Marron asked Eighteen softly, "What's wrong with Daddy and the others?"  
  
"Shh," the android female hushed her daughter gently, though her own pale eyes were filled with concern. "We're... feeling a strong power, that's all."  
  
Looking puzzled, Videl glanced at Chi-Chi and the Ox King. "What? What are they talking about?"  
  
"There's a power... a major power level, that we can sense!" Krillin explained. "And... i-it's MAJOR!"  
  
"It's incredible! What is this energy I'm sensing?" Piccolo mumbled, gazing off into space.  
  
"I... I feel it, too!" Goten gasped. "B-but, it's not my Dad!"  
  
Bulma, Krillin and the rest of the Z-Fighters looked at each other, before facing the hyper-powered Namek. "Is... is it, Vegeta? Has he somehow returned-?"  
  
"No. It's not him," Piccolo countered, cutting off the hope in Bulma's voice along with her words. "Believe me, if it was, we'd all know." He paused, concentrating hard. "I'm... not sure who it is, but they're almost as powerful as Goku is!"  
  
"What? That's impossible!" Bulma cried in disbelief. "No one could be as powerful as he is!"  
  
"Be that as is may," Mr. Popo commented, looking to where Dende was standing, "whoever it is... it feels as if they are headed for Earth."  
  
"That's right," the Guardian of the Earth agreed. "This power... it seems to be directed towards the general direction... it's headed for West City!"  
  
Krillin gasped. "West City??? B-but, that's where Trunks and Goku are going!"  
  
"At least Trunks is," Bulma stated. "If he hasn't already gotten the Dragon Radar and gotten out of there." She looked at Dende and Piccolo. "Can you tell just exactly who's generating that power signature?"  
  
Piccolo shook his head slowly. "I can't tell you, Bulma."  
  
"I'm sorry," Dende admitted softly. "Whoever they are, they're blurring their signature so they can't be identified... I just hope whatever this power is, that it isn't there to join forces with Babadi and Majin-Buu. Because... if they're not, then..." Dende trailed off, leaving his statement hanging in the air.  
  
Krillin shuddered at the implications. "Oh no," he breathed...  
  
# # #  
  
~ In Mid-Air, 40 miles east of West City... ~  
  
Floating high over the land, Babadi cackled with glee at the lone figure facing him and his minion. "You really are amusing, you know... I can't believe you actually think you can stand a chance against us!"  
  
Across from the gnarled wizard and his bloated, pink monster, Goku clenched his fists. "You don't understand. I just have to keep you from reaching West City."  
  
Chuckling darkly, Babadi shook his head. "It doesn't matter what you think you're going to do, my deluded friend. Majin-Buu can go through you like you were nothing! Then, we'll find those two brats and teach them a lesson!"  
  
Buu grinned elastically, making high-pitched chirping sounds.  
  
"If you really want to teach them a lesson, then you listen to what I have to offer," Goku countered.  
  
"Huh?" Babadi blinked. "What could you possibly offer us!?"  
  
"I fight Majin-Buu, right here, right now. If he defeats me, then I'll tell you where to go where you can meet Goten and Trunks," Goku explained. "However, if I manage to fight Buu to a standstill, then you'll have to wait until they complete their training." He grinned. "Then, they'll come to you without delay."  
  
Babidi blinked again, then scowled. "This is some sort of trick!"  
  
Goku held up one finger. "It's no trick. Agree to my offer, and either way, you'll get to have Buu fight them. I promise that if they finish training, then they will come to face Buu... no hiding, no running away."  
  
Babadi turned to look at Buu, then back to the floating Saiyan fighter. "Hmm... I really don't think we should accept. All Buu here has to do is crush you with one blow! Then, we can continue on to West City and-..." Babadi stopped speaking, turning to look at his minion. "What... what is it, Buu?"  
  
The pink monstrosity wasn't looking at Goku. It had turned it's chubby face towards the heavens, squinting as it stared out towards some point beyond the blue skies above.  
  
"What's wrong with Buu now?" Goku asked softly, turning to look in the same direction.  
  
Buu inhaled sharply, before speaking. "Ooooo... big, BIG power! Big, big BIG!!!"  
  
Babadi gasped. "What's that? A big power?"  
  
Goku's hair bristled, as he too caught the sensation of... what, he couldn't say. But, whatever it was, the power it was generating felt WAY more powerful than anything he'd ever sensed before!  
  
Babadi was still grumbling. "What are you sensing, Buu? Tell me, tell me! Who is generating the power you're sensing!?"  
  
"Buu not know... it just biiiiiig!" Buu cooed in a sing-song tone.  
  
"Whatever it is," Goku said out loud, "it's getting closer..." He moved back slightly, looking concerned at a speck that had appeared in the sky above them. Before his eyes, the speck grew larger as it came closer... revealing itself as the corona of someone in flight.  
  
"Woah," Goku breathed. "That's the signature of a... a... Saiyan?" He shook his head. "That's impossible! The only Saiyans left alive are me, Goten and Trunks!"  
  
Before the surprised eyes of the trio floating there, the glowing object rocketed down towards them. In time, it soon emerged through a cloud bank, soaring on a trail of nearly-transparent energy...  
  
"Woah! That's... a Saiyan space capsule!" Goku blinked. "At least... I think it is?"  
  
Lending truth to his statement, the round, alien form of the approaching capsule was clearly Saiyan in origin, but it looked heavily modified. Thrusters, stabilizer fins, and other odd-assorted components broke up the usual smooth profile of the craft. It was also clear that the craft wasn't operating under its own power...  
  
Rather, the power of the occupant INSIDE was the driving power sending the ship soaring down towards Goku and the two evil beings below.  
  
Babidi started to panic. "Oh no! It's headed straight for us!" He ducked behind Buu, babbling in fear. "For cripe's sake, Buu, don't just float there! Stop that thing!"  
  
Buu cocked his fat head, staring at the descending craft. "oooo...?"  
  
Goku was apprehensive himself, but he held his ground.  
  
Suddenly, the speeding craft pulled up sharply and came to a rolling stop; it's thrusters coming to life, roaring as they took up supporting the craft while the power signature vanished with a burst of light.  
  
Surprised, Goku, Babidi and Buu stared with wonder at the pod. "Eh? W-what... what is it, Buu?"  
  
Goku shot a sideways look at Babidi. "You shouldn't ask Buu what it is... because I know. It's a spaceship from my home world."  
  
Babidi shook his head, blinking at Goku. "A... a spaceship? From... Earth?"  
  
Before the wizard could ask anything further, there was a hiss of released pressure as the main hatch came apart, opening wide.  
  
Goku tensed. Unsure what would emerge, he started to shift to a defensive posture...  
  
Just as something rose from the cockpit to float out into the open air!  
  
"Huh?" he blinked.  
  
"Oooah!" Buu said in awe.  
  
Babidi looked out from Buu's shoulder, shivering. "W-what is it? What is IT???"  
  
Just what I'm wondering. Goku thought to himself. Because... it can't be what I'm seeing!  
  
The form that emerged was humanoid in shape... and clearly female! Surrounded in the functional, size-formatting armor that was favored by the Saiyan race; accented in brilliant yellow and black colors. Sporting heavy greaves, boots and armored forearm and elbow pads, the slim female also wore her dark brown hair pulled back into a high ponytail, which along with the mechanical headpiece Goku recognized as a Scouter, gave her a grim, pirate look.  
  
Buu ahhed-and-oohed, his eyes growing wide with awe. "BIG, BIG Power!"  
  
Goku had to agree. "This isn't your average Saiyan," he muttered, eyeing the female with concern.  
  
The new arrival glanced down, her dark eyes flashing as she spied the trio. From behind her back, a flicker of movement gave Goku another reason to wonder: she still had her Saiyan tail!  
  
"ooo... look like monkey-girl!" Buu giggled, grinning with a rubber smile.  
  
"What in the Cosmos is this? Some sort of circus-freak," Babidi snorted.  
  
Goku shot the wizard a hard stare. "Be quiet!" That made Babidi start, jerking back from the vehemence in the Z-Fighter's voice, as Goku looked up at the now floating Saiyan female. Deciding to get to the heart of this mystery, Goku willed himself to float up to where she and her hovering pod were waiting.  
  
As he drew level with her, he nodded and raised his hand in tentative welcome. "Hi," he greeted. "You're a Saiyan... like me."  
  
The female cocked her head, staring at him intently. "I thought there were no more Saiyans left in the entire universe."  
  
"Actually, I'm not the only one left," Goku admitted with a smile. "My name is Goku."  
  
"My name is Kohlrabi," she replied, just before her face twisted with a frown. "Goku? There isn't a name like that in the Royal Archive Banks," the female stated.  
  
"My former name was Kakarot, or so Vegeta told me," Goku admitted. "He and I were enemies once, when he came to Earth to fight me... but, let me ask you where you came from? I thought all of the Saiyans were killed by Frieza when he blew our former home to bits!"  
  
"Not all of us were killed by that monster," the female replied, a hard light glittering in her eyes. "Some of use were launched on several missions of conquest, before the home world was destroyed." She looked bitterly towards space. "I learned of this, from other Saiyans I encountered in the past."  
  
"Wow! You meet other Saiyans?" Goku said brightly. "What happened to them? Will they be coming here as well?"  
  
"No... I fought them and killed them, in defense of my adopted home," she admitted. "Since then, I've been traveling the universe, in search of those that aren't bent on the destructive ways of those that served Frieza and his reign."  
  
"A noble cause," Goku admitted.  
  
"It's been my entire life. So now the question remains... are you one of those that I must kill?" Before Goku could reply, Kohlrabi reached up and tapped the side of her Scouter. There was a soft beeping sound - as the device took a reading - a lexicon of symbols scrolling across the inner surface of the transparent, green eyepiece - before it emitted a triple-ping alert.   
  
"Amazing," she said, her voice a stern, yet nearly-musical alto. "Your power... it's like nothing I've seen before."  
  
Goku nodded. "I'm not your average fighter," he admitted.  
  
Her eyes widened. "Incredible," she breathed, adding With a half-smile, "You've been expending a lot in battle, it seems."  
  
"More or less," Goku admitted. "I'd like to hear more, but there's an important matter I have to deal with right now."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
Goku nodded towards Babidi and Buu. "These two are threatening the destruction of Earth... they've already killed thousands, and they'll stop at nothing to get their evil revenge!" He clenched his fist. "They also killed Vegeta."  
  
At that, her eyes widened in shock. "No... not, Prince Vegeta?" Her head snapped around, her eyes locking on Buu and his midget master. "King Vegeta's son... the Crown Prince... dead?" She closed her eyes and scowled. "I heard that... he'd survived, and was still fighting to stop Frieza and his army of evil!"  
  
"He died in defense of this world," Goku admitted softly. "He gave his life... but it didn't stop Majin-Buu!"  
  
The female slowly lifted her head, her eyes staring burning holes in the two foes below them. "They killed the brightest... and best of us," she rumbled, raising her fists, clenched so tight the veins popped out through the skin. She whipped her face towards Goku. "If these are your enemies, then they are enemies of all Saiyans! Let me join you in destroying them... to avenge the loss of our beloved Prince!"  
  
Goku nodded grimly. "I never fight for revenge, but to right injustice."  
  
"Then we have something in common... I will see them both brought to pay for the crimes against all that was good in this universe," Kohlrabi replied tersely.  
  
"If that is what you want," Goku said, forming a tight smile. "Then, you're welcome to fight by my side. I should warn you, this won't be easy. Buu's proven to be nearly unstoppable."  
  
Just then, Babadi's voice blasted through their exchange: "Hey! What is this, some sort of social hour? In case you've forgotten, Goku, you promised to fight Buu!"  
  
Looking down, both Goku and Kohlrabi glared at the dwarf wizard and his bloated minion. Buu grinned at them, clapping his mitten-covered hands together with anticipation and glee. "Buu gonna fight, fight, fight-fight-fight-FIGHT!"  
  
Goku glanced at the female Saiyan from the corner of his eye. "Are you sure you want to battle with this creature? My friends and I had a plan in mind..."  
  
"That was before you met me," Kohlrabi said, her face quirking with a grin that was eerily like Vegeta's. "I promise you this, Goku, if we battle this tub of lard now, together we cannot lose!"  
  
"Fine, but we need to fight smart. This monstrosity has proven to be resilient and surprising before," Goku said with a note of finality.  
  
Babadi snarled at them, "Well? What are you going to do, Goku? Are you having second thoughts about fighting Majin-Buu???"  
  
"Not hardly, you wrinkled moron!" Kohlrabi barked. "He was courteously inviting me to join in on this little skirmish!"  
  
Babadi blinked in surprise. "Wha-what's that?"  
  
"You heard her, Babadi. She's a Saiyan fighter, and she and I are going to defeat you and Buu once and for all!"  
  
Nodding in agreement, Kohlrabi backed up Goku's statement: "Killing Crown Prince Vegeta was your first and worst mistake, villain! Now you will bow to the justice of our race, and pay for ending his life..." She grimaced, brandishing a fist. "With your lives!"  
  
#  
  
~... with Babadi and Buu threatening West City, Goku had expected to stall the evil creation until they could get the Dragon Radar and form their plan to destroy Buu. Only now, a new face has emerged from the cosmos: a fellow Saiyan, who appears to be cut from the same righteous cloth as Goku! But, will Kohlrabi's power and determination to avenge the death of Vegeta be an aid or hindrance to the Z-Fighter's plan to end this nightmare? And what is the history behind this Saiyan woman?  
  
Stay tuned for the next chapter of DBZ-Dash: "The Plan Abandoned! Feel the Power of Kohlrabi, Saiyan of Echelon!"  
  
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End file.
